I have lived in Salmon Arm for the past 35 years, having moved from Prince George in 1970. I completed my degree in Education with Simon Fraser University in the ensuing years. Living in the beautiful Shuswap area has encouraged me to persue my interest in art.
I have always been interested in art since I was a child, but have been painting more seriously for the past fifteen years. I am an ACTIVE member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, The Shuswap Festival of the Arts, The Shuswap Gallery (SAGA), The Vernon Chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists and the Thompson-Nicola-Shuswap Chapter of the FCA. I have won many Juror's Choice ribbons from the Shuswap Festival of the Arts, People's Choice ribbons as well as Chapter Choices in FCA shows.
I work with several different media - pastel, watercolour, acrylic, and oils - matching the medium to the subject to be painted. I am particularly interested in portraiture - I use pastel, watercolour and oil for this subject. Having lots of grandchildren I have painted the children in my families many times, as well as doing commissions in children's portraiture. I also enjoy painting landscapes taken from my many trips throughout the world as well as local scenes in the Shuswap and other B.C. areas. I usually paint what inspires me immediately - whether it be light, colours or just the subject . In all my paintings I try to represent the ideas and emotions I feel when I am in the presence of nature or when I am trying to express the uniqueness of a particular child in portraiture - to me the eyes of a child tell the whole story I am wanting to tell.
I have taken many local and international workshops - eg: Daniel Greene (master American Portraitist), Brent Heighton, Carole-Lynn Davidson, Gaye Adams, Nance O'Toole , Mike O'Toole, (All FCA members), Carole Orr (AWS) and Judy Betts (AWS) and others. I have completed three corespondence courses with the North Light Art School - the Fine Art of Painting and Drawing, Advanced Acrylic Painting and Creating Lifelike Portraits. In May, 2005 I attended a Portrait Society of America Conference in Washington, D.C., where I was able to meet all the top portrait artists of America and watch them demonstrate - such as Daniel Greene, Richard Schmid, Raymond Kinstler, Margaret Baumgaetner, Wendy Caporale, Burton Silverman and many more.
My style is predominately representational but I enjoy exploring new methods of painting a variety of subjects. I have an Art Gallery in my home - Panorama Ranch Art Studio and Gallery.